Noise – A Growing Problem For Music Venues
12th November 2019
Over the past 10 years, music venues across the UK have been forced to face battles with local councils and property developers to continue providing nightlife for their cities. UK Music has stated that within the last 10 years, 35% of music venues have closed across the country. There are various reasons for this, but the most prominent cause is the development of residential properties in the locality of the venue; with very little legislation in place to protect local nightlife, many of these venues have been forced to close.
The Music Concerts and Festivals 2019 reported that the UK music concert and festivals market has continued to grow in value, in 2018 it’s estimated worth was £2.4 billion. This is fuelled by more choice in events, higher ticket prices and a rise in the number of music tourists from overseas, showing that music venues contribute greatly to the local economy.
If music venues are highly profitable to the local economy, why is nothing being done to protect them?
One venue that has been receiving lots of coverage surrounding their battle with developers is Motion in Bristol. Voted ‘Best Large Club in the UK’ by DJ Mag in 2018, Motion is both a local and national treasure for people within the music industry, and those who enjoy dance music.
But why is the future of Motion and Bristol Nightlife in jeopardy?
In an attempt to save the venue, there have been a number of petitions calling for legislation to minimise the negative effects that property development can bring to nightlife across both Bristol and the UK.
One-way music venues can protect themselves against noise complaints is by attaining a ‘Deed of Easement’. Before planning permission is granted local planning authorities and the developers agree residents will be informed about the possible inconvenience of noise from nearby music venues to prevent private grievances. However, this is hard to obtain as developers are reluctant to agree to such an agreement as it could decrease their land value. Music venues are also still at risk from statutory noise complaints, where residents can complain about the level of noise which is then investigated by the local environmental health department.
An alternate policy is the ‘Agent of Change Policy’, this policy was established in the National Planning Policy Framework in August 2018. This policy places the responsibility on minimising noise from pre-existing properties in the surrounding area upon the developers of the new developments. However, this policy is only one small solution, as in some cases once a client is granted planning permission subject to an ‘Agent of Change’ condition, they proceed to undermine the policy by altering their noise insulation.
Aside from attaining the above policies, the other obvious solutions would be to soundproof venues and perspective residential properties, alongside a selection of noise readings to provide greater accuracy; this would mean readings would be conducted both in day time and at night before planning permission is granted.
However, could turning to the local community have a greater impact?
Since 2000, Glastonbury Festival have been supporting and working with the local community to be able to keep the peace between themselves and the local community; it does this by paying over £1m to charities and local good causes. They have since funded local projects with the festival’s income. Glastonbury Festival 2007 Ltd. spent over £6 million with local companies based within 25 miles of Worthy Farm. Local companies also enjoy significant increase in trade over the festival. For the past 20 years, Michael Eavis has arranged the Pilton Party. Villagers run the bar at the Pilton Party, with all proceeds from the event going to the village show and to other village ventures. In 2007, the Pilton Party generated some £15,000 for the Village Show committee and £30,000 for the Village Hall.
Can public petitions save music venues?
In 2014, The Fleece in Bristol was faced with the threat of potential closure if new developments were approved. The scheme was to convert an office block into 80 flats in which people’s bedrooms would be located 20 metres away from the stage. The current lack of residents in the surrounding area meant that they could offer live music 7 nights a week, however the future of the venue could have been jeopardised if the new residents were to make noise complaints. A petition was set up to stop the proposed build. This petition received over 35,000 signatures, but thanks to the support of the public the venue still remains open.
Show your support for local music venues and sign the petition to help Motion push for the introduction of a deed of easement here:
https://www.change.org/p/bristol-city-council-planning-introduce-a-deed-of-easement-protecting-motion-from-new-developments-surrounding-the-venue
Have read 😁 I think its touches on issues not really raised before and if current music venues are already there then find somewhere else to build residential buildings? However another issue would be what comes with music venues is crime and drunken people causing trouble near residential areas. 🎶🎶
Hi Kirsty,
Thank you for reading our blog and taking the time to reply.
The reason for the blog is too encourage more actions and considerations to be taken before building residential properties in the vicinity of music venues; this would subsequently minimise reports of anti-social behaviour due to the lack of residents.
Extremely interesting blog and very thought-provoking area that I haven’t heard much about previously! Very insightful and well researched as well. I think, such as with Glastonbury Festival, building positive relationships throughout the community is definitely a practice that venues and events can utilise.
Hi Nina, Thank you for taking the time to read our blog! We really appreciate you taking the time to comment. We couldn’t agree with you more, building a positive relationship throughout the community is definitely something venues should utilise.
An interesting and thorny issue! The Labour councilor’s statement encapsulates the problems. Across the country councils are tasked with building more housing to cope with the growing population and it makes more sense to build on brown field, rather than green field sites. This can sometimes mean tensions between what commerce is already there (including music venues) and prospective developers. However, as a government priority I am pretty sure that housing trumps music? That said there does need to be a balance and there does need to be music venues as part of the night time economy and on this note would it be pertinent to revisit the licensing laws. They were brought about to try and promote a more “European culture of drinking”, but there is plenty of evidence that all it has done is move the anti-social behaviour further into the night (& morning). I don’t see any problem with licensed premises closing at the 2am as was the previous scenario, which at least allows residents close to the venue some level of protection from anti-social behavious and some opportunity to sleep…
Hi John,
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog and to share your thoughts with us.
We understand the councils need to build more properties in the area, however we believe there should be a balance. With cities like Bristol, a large pull factor for tourists is the vast music scene and a lot of this is made up of a number of venues that stay open until up to 6am. Residents moving into an area with a music venue should be aware of the potential noise that they may experience and it shouldn’t result in a restriction of what a venue is able to offer. However, we do agree that when a venue is moving into a residential area there should be restrictions, such as the 2am closing time, in order to respect the residents that are already there.
Very interesting blog and raises some important issues that music venues face. Festivals bring people together and can influence the community positively. I think it is a great point that you made that festivals can increase trade for local companies and how festivals have helped charities and local projects. If communities work with music venues, it can be win-win for both parties, rather than causing conflict when a music venue has an event.
Hi Amina,
We really appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on our blog.
We agree that festivals and music venues should definitely explore the idea of working with the community. I think they would see a decrease in tensions with nearby residents and if future issue were to occur, they would have an increased amount of support.
Great topic to promote as such a pressing issue! Be amazing to see the public support such influential music venues. What is happening with motion is so current. Very interesting blog!
Hi Shaun,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the blog with us!
We agree that this is a pressing issue and it is amazing to see how much support the petition from Motion has already had.
If you haven’t already, please make sure to sign the petition for Motion, I’m sure they would appreciate it.
Nice blog and a very relevant issue. Motion obviously contributes a great deal economically to the city, which is a tangible benefit. However, what is often not considered are the intangible social and cultural benefits the esteemed status of the nightclub has: it is a major part of music scene within the city which can play a large pull in people moving there.
Brownfield sites are of course the obvious most attractive solution to solving the housing crisis but I fail to believe there aren’t numerous other brownfield sites which could be developed instead in the case of Motion. For me, it’s a prevailing focus held by decision makers that prioritises economics gains whilst under appreciating socio-cultural values.
Hi Mike, thank you for your comment and for taking the the time to read our blog! The comment you made on Brownfield sites, is really interesting, Bristol is such a large city which begs the question, are there other locations developers can look into that can prevent the issues that are currently at play when developing next to a music venue? Music is such a socio-cultural part of Bristol, it’s a shame that venues such as motion are at risk.
Hi, this is a very interesting blog to read. It highlights the importance of music venues and the problems they face in regards to noise. Motion provides not only an experience to consumers but also jobs to hundreds of employees. The uncertain future causes concerns across everyone associated with the venue and it is great to see that you’re encouraging people to sign the petition!!
Hi, thank you ever so much for taking the time to comment. You are so right, the uncertainty that Motions staff are facing is of a huge concern, as their jobs are at risk. These venues not only bring joy to those attending the events but those that work within the venue who rely on their pay cheques for a living. Motion are so close to getting the 10,000 signatures they need, hopefully support from the general public will pay off and motion can remain open.
I really enjoy going to these events and I think its so good to raise awareness of these current issues as I’ve seen venes in Manchester close down recently.
Hi Ellie,
Thank you for your comment, we really appreciate you taking the time to read our blog. This is a growing issue in the events industry and it clearly goes much further than the venues we’ve spoken about.
I think it is really important to protect live event venues – live and diverse events to me is what makes a town/city a desirable place to be with lots of different things going on to entertain residents and those coming from further afield who help contribute to the local economy. I live in Cheltenham and would hate to see the end of all the live events that take place, it’s one of the reasons I like living here with lots of things to see and do.
Hi Laura,
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog, its such an important issue and i’m glad this is important to you. You’re so right! What makes Cheltenham so appealing is the fact there’s lots going on in terms of live events one of those being music festivals. It makes Cheltenham such a desirable place to live and many other cities within the UK. Hopefully this blog will get people talking and we can keep saving cities and all the wonderful things music brings to a region!
Festivals and music events are important to me as it brings excitement and atmosphere to the towns and city’s. I think this is a good way to aware people that this could be killing a massive industry that brings happiness and business around the world. Very good and interesting blog.
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, we really appreciate your comment. we are please to hear you enjoyed our blog. These music events bring a huge amount of joy to those attending, and brings money into the local economy, by not having these events we could potentially be damaging a city’s economy. You are right, and we hope by making people aware of the situation, we can make a change and protect the venues at risk.
I am sure this is a growing issue and developers need to carefully consider where they build. If they choose to build close to venues then those buying or renting need to be informed and a clause written in their contract to say they are unable to make a complaint unless it exceeds a certain agreed level!
Hi Tad,
Thank you for your comment, You are right this should be the case. The deed of easement is a document that grants the right to use another persons land for a specifically stated purpose, meaning the venues like Motions, should be protected by this document.
Really interesting blog! An important topic which has raised some valid points through has readers comments too.
On one hand, it’s well known that Britain is in a housing crisis, there is not enough housing and local councils have fallen over six years behind their own house building targets, which makes it unaffordable for the younger generation to get on the housing ladder.
On the other hand, it has recently been announced that Bristol is the best place to live in the UK outside of London for people under the age of 26, according to a BBC Newsbeat analysis, and this is due to several factors one of which being the range of music events on offer and employment.
Bristol is well know for the wide range of nightlife options and if this is compromised by iconic music venues being forced to shut down, it will have a negative impact on the city’s attraction and local economy.
Surely, if a developer wants to build near a music venue, they should consider the desirability of the area for potential residents in its current surrounding and the potential negative effect an existing venue could have on the value of the proposed properties before they commit. Part of the planning policy is that a development must complement its surroundings.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog.
You’ve raised some really interesting points and we completely agree with you! There is a housing crisis in the UK so it is understandable why governments are wanting developers to build more housing but as you also said music is such a pull factor for residents so developers and business owners need to work together.
Yes defiantly developers need to take more responsibility when planning houses, with the agent of change policy implemented this is something that is hopefully due to positively change in the near future. What’s happened in motion we think shows how developers for now are still being favoured over music venues.
Your blog raises some interesting issues. The need for a vibrant social scene that serves to boost the local economy versus the need of the wider community not to have others’ ‘fun’ imposed upon them. Unfortunately, I do not believe that there is an easy answer to these competing interests. As with most such ‘problems’ communication and compromise are the key to finding a solution; however, this is often easier said than done . In our increasingly digital world a possible way forward lies in technology. The advent of such things as ‘silent discos’ and noise cancelling devices shows how things can change. Perhaps it is in the development of such technologies that the future of urban music venues lies.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog. You’re right when mentioning that this is not a one fix solution and something that needs communication and compromise across all parties. The idea of silent discos is a very good point and definitely something venues should start to consider more.
such an intresting blog, and really relevent I think it is really important to protect our live event venues. live music events to me is what makes a town/city a desirable place to be and also to entertain residents and those coming from further afield who help contribute to the local economy. There are so many brown field sites that could be used instead of building near music venues
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog!
It’s really good to see you agree that live music venues make a city so desirable to live and need protection. We think cities would struggle without the economic benefits such venues bring to a location. Brown field sites are such a good alternative and have cheaper land costs so would benefit both developers and music venue owners.
This is a really interesting read! I myself work in the nightlife industry (and have done for nearly 5 years now). I’ve watched a drastic decline in people going out since 2017. And I am receiving more bookings from one off big events. I’d say there is a lot of choice when regarding events but local venues are usually the same week in week out. These are the types of nights I have seen decline the most.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog!
We love hearing industry professionals comments as it’s important to see how current this issue is and affecting many people. It’s sad to hear you have personally seen the decline in people enjoying a night out and shows the important need for change.
As someone who has regularly attended Motion in Bristol I think it is great that you are bringing attention to this issue. I find it a great shame that so many clubs are under threat. These places hold great memories for lots of people and should be kept at all costs
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog!
It’s great to hear opinions of people that attend motion and know the value it brings to Bristol! We couldn’t agree with you more, if you haven’t seen the petition for motion would be great for you to sign it!
It would be beneficial for developers to build properties on Brown Field sites instead of surrounded busy nightlife areas. I’m from Sheffield which homes two universities where nightlife and live music is a big part of student Life. Developers would be missing out on a large income if clubs and bars were to be closed which in turn would disrupt the housing market as Sheffield would offer less in the ‘student experience’ where nightlife plays a big part.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our blog!
University nightlife can certainty be overlooked so its good to raise this issue and highlight how much money music venues and university events bring to a city such as Sheffield. The student experience would be affected if venues continue to close which could cause even bigger issues for universities.
Really enjoyed reading your blog, it raises some important issues that music venues are currently facing, clearly turning to the general public for support could massively help, places like Bristol have a lot of students who move there specifically for the nightlife, venues like motion help facilitate spending in the local area. The threat of motion being closed is detrimental to the local economy, as many jobs would be lost.
Hi Adam,
Thank you ever so much for commenting on our blog, we are pleased to hear you enjoyed reading it! We agree, it is important to support music venues, turning to the general public has helped form good relationship with the local community for example in the case of Fleece and Glastonbury festival, to ensure these events still continue to succeed. You are right, one advantage of these venues and type of events is that it supplies jobs and helps boost our local economy.
A really interesting blog! You’ve raised some very important issues. There is a need for a social scene in local areas to help boost the local economy, in doing so it is important that we protect our music venues. However this is easier said that done unfortunately issues such as the one ones mentioned in the blog could be resolved through the use of compromise and communication between the developer and venues, turning to the general public is definitely a good place to start as it clearly had an impact on venues such fleece and Glastonbury.
Hi Niamh,
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on our blog! You are right, music venues definitely help boost the local economy, as you mentioned it isn’t easy for these issues to be resolved, it would be great if both music venues and developers could work in harmony to ensure that we no longer have a housing crisis as well as keeping the music industry alive. We agree turning to the general public has been a huge help to certain venues, such as Fleece, our hope is that with the general public’s support we can help continue to keep music venues alive.
Certainly a very interesting blog ! I think the points you raise are very valid . I think something should certainly be done too ensure that motion stays open as I’m sure many people have great memories there and shall continue to gain new memories if it is able to stay open .
Hi Sam,
Thank you for reading our blog, and taking the time to comment. You are right, venues such as Motion hold great memories for those that attend as well as those that work there. I would be a shame to see venues such as motion to close.
Great blog! I’ve definitely noticed the decrease in music venues as a lot of great clubs at my uni have been forced to close in the past three years! As long as the residents are aware of the nearby nightlife they shouldn’t be closed down and if new clubs being built it would be an idea to make use of the less residential areas of town to reduce the risk of noise complaints and planning permission issues. It is very clear especially in towns/cities with universities, music venues are a massive source of income as they appeal to students and hopefully they don’t continue to close down!
Hi Emily,
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on our blog! It’s interesting to note that you personally have picked up on this issue, in that you’ve seen a number of venues close in recent years. You have made a very good point, one way in which developers could potentially insure that this is no planning permission issue when building near music venues, is to build on brownfield sites, or perhaps including day and night reading in the document given to new homeowners in the area.
Interesting, this. How does the legislative framework for protecting venues of night-time cultural significance in the UK compare to other places in Europe?
All you ever seem to see in the UK is how these amazing venues are under threat of closure from predatory developers, which stands in stark contrast to places like Berlin and Amsterdam who are actively promoting the importance of nightlife as an element of the cultural landscape of the city.
Agreed with an above commenter that brownfield development needs to be where we get the vast majority of our new housing from, but that should not be at the expense of live music – it strikes me that legislating for proper soundproofing would be the best course of action here.
Hi Xander,
Thank you for reading through our blog and sharing your thoughts with us!
It’s interesting to read you view in regards to nightlife across cities in Europe and it might be worth UK governments looking into the types of laws and legislation that these areas have in place to protect such venues, as they are a big contributor to both the economy and local nightlife.
In regards to the aspect about brownfield sites, we also agree that there are other spaces that should be considered first, and in areas like Bristol there are a lot of brownfield sites that could be used for such redevelopment plans.
Really interesting article, and raising an issue in which isn’t spoke about enough. I feel music venues have more than just an experience within people’s lives and create a memory in which sticks with the city. To see music venues take a decline would be extremely disappointing, you’d be taking away a piece of someone’s main experience and memory.